1990 KX250

mxsixty
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mxsixty
Edited Date/Time 6/28/2017 2:42pm
1st up I'd like to say thanks to all the guys that share their rebuilds/restores its awesome!. I have spent many hr's here reading looking and reliving my youth through mx bikes. I remember (was still in high school) when the 89/90 bikes came out and going to the dealers and drooling over them haha..
Anyway got my hands on an old 90 kx250 in not to bad of shape but needs lots of work ,am doing a restore on it best I can nothing to flash am on a budget but I'd like to get it looking close to how it was from the factory.. I remember when they came out and were kind of out of this world for there time..



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mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/11/2016 2:31am
9/11/2016 2:31am
As I got it covered in metal mulisha crap....It has a locked up bottom end but surprisingly top end has not to many hrs on it and good to go so will save a few bucks there..










mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/11/2016 2:51am
9/11/2016 2:51am Edited Date/Time 9/11/2016 2:53am
Not a fan of the plated pipes but is all I have for now is dent free and polishing up well..
Am still in the cleaning up parts stage massive job! haha ,but got some paint on the sub frame and am happy with the colour looks good in true light not bad for out of the can spray paint am happy to go with it.











karlz
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karlz 9/11/2016 3:15am
9/11/2016 3:15am
cant wait to see it finished. Check the bottom shock clevis is not cracked either side of the rebound adjuster. If its ok put a shim between the clevis and linkage to prevent this happening.

www.karlzracing.com

The Shop

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RyanLester761
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RyanLester761 9/13/2016 10:20am
9/13/2016 10:20am Edited Date/Time 9/13/2016 10:24am
I had the Kawasaki two-page ad for the new "splash" 1990 KX250 on my bedroom wall when I was about 14 years old. Such a cool looking bike! I look forward to seeing this build!

chuckie108
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chuckie108 9/13/2016 10:30am
9/13/2016 10:30am
One of my favorite bikes!! How'd you clean up the cylinder? That thing is gleaming!!
sandman768
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sandman768 9/13/2016 3:33pm
9/13/2016 3:33pm
Awesome bikes! I had one when they were new! Can't believe your not keeping the metal graphics !
smezmx
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smezmx 9/13/2016 9:57pm
9/13/2016 9:57pm
Here's some inspiration for the build.

KTMShane699
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KTMShane699 9/13/2016 10:42pm
9/13/2016 10:42pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2016 10:43pm
What forks are on it? The pics in the truck don't look original, unless someone just had them coated.

Can't wait to see it when it's done. Pretty awesome era for Kawasaki when they pushed the perimeter frames out. My favorite is the 92-93 bikes though.
smezmx
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smezmx 9/13/2016 11:31pm
9/13/2016 11:31pm Edited Date/Time 9/13/2016 11:33pm
Forks were gold in 90........in england/britain anyways.not sure if different in the usa/aus as per the conventional/usd's the previous year?
KTMShane699
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KTMShane699 9/14/2016 1:26am
9/14/2016 1:26am
smezmx wrote:
Forks were gold in 90........in england/britain anyways.not sure if different in the usa/aus as per the conventional/usd's the previous year?
Gotcha. In the US they were the aluminum look just like the ad someone posted shows. So they must have been different. In 1991-1993 they were blue. Then reverted back to the aluminum color.

Always interesting the differences in models for country to country.
Chrisb500CR 9/14/2016 1:56am
9/14/2016 1:56am
mxsixty wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/09/11/151235/s1200_11.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/09/11/151236/s1200_12.jpg[/img]




Mate, looks awesome! How did you clean up the cylinder and head so well? Cheers.
mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/14/2016 2:56am
9/14/2016 2:56am Edited Date/Time 9/14/2016 3:21am
Thanks guy's.. I cleaned up the cylinder and head by hand (I don't have soda blasting or anything) then painted them a metallic silver but didn't clear coat to give it more a raw alloy appearance I think it looks ok?. With the bolts/nuts if the plating is good after cleaning I clear coat to stop any rust coming back.
Never worked on a KX before so many silvers to them! I have about 6 different silvers to get some contrast happening.
The glue from the metal mulisha sticker kit has been a PITA to get off!
As far as I know they had gold forks in 1990 here and blue in 91.




mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/14/2016 3:05am
9/14/2016 3:05am
Few pics- am still cleaning things up and working out what can be reused and adding to my parts list what I need. getting there slowly..












riv187
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riv187 9/14/2016 8:50am
9/14/2016 8:50am
Hi You are doing a incredible job to be proud of! I had a 1990 back in 92-93. I remember it being like a 125 on steroids power wise. The top end hit so hard I couldn't ride it well on dry slick tracks or approaching jumps. Was a pretty bike, and I did make it run 90% better with a simple trick. The slide cut a way is way to rich(low). These bikes fouled plugs. They blubbered off idle when riding slow or trails horribly. When exiting corner it would blubber then the plug cleaned out and whamo wheelspin. 1st owner of mine was trying B7 hotter plugs,,but that lasted only a little longer than the B8s. I called the carb warehouse and they where aware of the problem and recommended a #5 slide. Stock was 2 I believe. Cost back then was 50-80 bucks and not cheap.I tried a old school trick,I dremeled the slide opening higher and higher, about .025-.030 at a time and test rode it back to back in back yard. Once I reached a point of no improvement off idle-1/2 I quit. Each grinding was eyeball accurate,then plop back in, start, adjust idle screw and test out back blipping throttle. Improvement was night and day.The parameter frame like noted by another cracked from pinching in around shock,so shim that. I think the stock graphics where awesome and I'd not change a thing there.
Brian Rivers
mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/16/2016 9:43am
9/16/2016 9:43am
Ok guy's sorry if this seems like a dumb question... But I have found what I assume are parts diagrams on the net.. I just need to know if they are the real part numbers? k so If I was to call my closest Kawasaki dealer (2hr drive one way) and quote said part numbers along with year model e.g.1990 KX250-H1 they could tell me if they are at least still available or not?.


RyanLester761
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RyanLester761 9/16/2016 9:53am
9/16/2016 9:53am
mxsixty wrote:
Ok guy's sorry if this seems like a dumb question... But I have found what I assume are parts diagrams on the net.. I just need...
Ok guy's sorry if this seems like a dumb question... But I have found what I assume are parts diagrams on the net.. I just need to know if they are the real part numbers? k so If I was to call my closest Kawasaki dealer (2hr drive one way) and quote said part numbers along with year model e.g.1990 KX250-H1 they could tell me if they are at least still available or not?.


Just call the dealer or order online. A lot of the online store's websites will tell you if the part is obsolete or has a wait until they're available.

Motosport.com or Partzilla.com for instance.
mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/16/2016 10:25am
9/16/2016 10:25am
Ok thanks for that RyanLester761 I will have at look at the sites you posted up Cheers..
This is the 1st time I've used the net to buy parts for a bike am still a noob with it all...
In the past I've just pointed at the computer screen at the dealers and said yeah I need that part. I was just thinking it would be easier for me if I had the part numbers than trying to explain over the PH to the dealer or whoever that I need the rubber thingy ma bob part that goes next to the thingy ma jig lol.

Pit Row

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Kidkawie
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Kidkawie 9/16/2016 11:23am
9/16/2016 11:23am
Nice job so far!

On the OEM parts, the 5 digit number on the diagram is the reference number. Then actual part number is listed below using the 5 digit reference followed by 4 more digits. Many years, many bikes may have a number starting with (for example) 51005, but the last 4 is what makes it different. 51005-XXXX

Working on your bike you probably came across various 4 digit numbers, that's the last 4 to the original part number.
RyanLester761
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RyanLester761 9/16/2016 11:32am
9/16/2016 11:32am
mxsixty wrote:
Ok thanks for that RyanLester761 I will have at look at the sites you posted up Cheers.. This is the 1st time I've used the net...
Ok thanks for that RyanLester761 I will have at look at the sites you posted up Cheers..
This is the 1st time I've used the net to buy parts for a bike am still a noob with it all...
In the past I've just pointed at the computer screen at the dealers and said yeah I need that part. I was just thinking it would be easier for me if I had the part numbers than trying to explain over the PH to the dealer or whoever that I need the rubber thingy ma bob part that goes next to the thingy ma jig lol.
Lol! I understand. And you're welcome.
Ewan
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Ewan 9/17/2016 5:31am
9/17/2016 5:31am Edited Date/Time 9/17/2016 5:32am
Nice job, this is going to turn out a nice looking bike.

I might have a spare set of the tank spacers lying about in the garage if you don't have luck finding any N.O.S.

I'm rested up following surgery, let me know how you get on and I can take a look when I'm back up on my feet.

Certainly when I was restoring my H2 125 7 years ago, some parts were getti extremely difficult to find.
Ewan
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Ewan 9/17/2016 5:33am
9/17/2016 5:33am
smezmx wrote:
Here's some inspiration for the build.[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/09/13/151672/s1200_image.jpg[/img]
Here's some inspiration for the build.

Boom! This is a beaut, what's the spec?
sandman768
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sandman768 9/17/2016 3:36pm
9/17/2016 3:36pm
As Riv187 stated the stock jetting was off, I remember rich down low then lean on top, I was a pretty good b rider at the time & rode a lot of sand, it detonated enough to chip the cylinder plating and the plating was known to be weak back then also. I was not too mechanically inclined back then so I just added splash of race gas vs jetting carb correctly. If your serious about riding this bike when it's done, get the frame cradle, foot peg & engine mount areas rewelded, like all 30 year old frames it will start to crack when you start hammering it....look forward to seeing your build
mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/17/2016 11:37pm
9/17/2016 11:37pm Edited Date/Time 9/17/2016 11:51pm
Thanks for all the advise guy's am taking it on board..
Almost got the frame stripped down, I will then get it welded up it needs it in a few places. I will definitely be riding it when done.
I have found most of what I need for parts some OEM and some AF I have lots of missing parts/wrong bolts etc etc but seem to be finding what I need will be like a kid at Christmas when parts start arriving lol.. I'm on a budget but still should look good for a budget build..
cleaned radiators up and left is trashed if I can't find one in good shape I will have to go after market.












Rovalova
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Rovalova 9/18/2016 1:44am
9/18/2016 1:44am Edited Date/Time 9/18/2016 1:50am
Mate I did my builds on a budget too. Learnt some tricks on the way, making anything black and shiny again thats plastic eg airbox , cables etc. use the liquid shoe polish with applicator pad, being aussie theres a brand called kiwi I used it works great. If your cleaning kx parts as they are raw from factory and you want to keep that look, go to super cheap auto 20bucks and grab a blasting pistol, use home brand bicarb soda from woolies and you will make all your alloy parts look like new. While you are at super cheap grab some holts auto paint in asteriod silver its a dead ringer for the kx upper triples, bar mounts and shock bodies. VHT cast aluminium for the swigarm. Anchor paints do a kawi frame match areosol and you can get it from Campbells Wholesale Pty Ltd just google them. great job so far BTW
toomanykaws
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toomanykaws 9/19/2016 8:23am
9/19/2016 8:23am
Great project. Love it. Buddy just got a fairly original 88 KX250. I myself have way too many 89-04 KX500s!!
mark_swart
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mark_swart 9/21/2016 8:49pm
9/21/2016 8:49pm
That's a cool project and will actually be fun to ride when you're finished! For partsome cross reference, if you look them up on Chaparral then click on the part itself, it will tell you what other models it was used on. Comes in handy, have fun!
mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/23/2016 4:28am
9/23/2016 4:28am Edited Date/Time 9/23/2016 5:01am
Thanks guys for the tips and leads on parts/numbers muchly appreciated! must admit I've spent many hr's on the net tracking down parts and I've got a headache from it all haha...
Am getting there but one thing I'm having trouble with is a chain slider for a 90-91 kx250. Buggered if I can find one does the chain slider cross reference to other years say the 92-93 KX? I'm lost on it..Seems parts are relatively easy to get for say 89 KX then a black hole (90-91 KX) then back to relatively easy to get 92 on IDK I may not be looking in the right place lol...

Frame is off getting welded and have lots of parts ordered, as for the budget? well its blowing out!, makes you appreciate the time and money that goes into the restores! and mine would never come close to the top tier workmanship/skill on display in the bikes here..

One funky thing is the front brake hose it's odd think its off a KDX? no matter it's trash and am getting a new correct brake line (and waiting on new caliper kit)..



mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/23/2016 4:45am
9/23/2016 4:45am Edited Date/Time 9/23/2016 6:39am
If only plastics and the like where still available- am digging the TUF look! Ah well is nice to dream..





Seen this for sale overseas somewhere has a TUF Racing Upper Handlebar Holder.


mxsixty
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mxsixty 10/3/2016 7:12am
10/3/2016 7:12am
Got the Frame back after welding, also got the peg mounts done as well its a nice solid frame now. I cleaned it up and painted it came out looking good am happy with it..
Am waiting on lots of parts and decals but in the meantime I still have plenty to work on.
Few pics Cheers.










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